WORKERS
EXPLOITED ON 'SLAVE SHIP' OFF SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COAST
8
July 2005
Unions want an
aquaculture vessel that has been likened to a “slave ship” to be
stripped of its right to operate in South Australian waters.
The Maritime
Union of Australia has joined with the Australian Council of Trade
Unions and SA Unions in a bid to end the blatant exploitation of
workers by the “Destiny Queen”.
A protest is
being staged outside the office of Destiny Abalone at Hindmarsh in a
bid to end bad work practices on its floating abalone farm, anchored
20 kilometres offshore from Port Lincoln.
Maritime Union
of Australia state secretary Jamie Newlyn says the Destiny Queen’s
Australian crew was sacked, the vessel was re-flagged, and Chinese
and Ukrainian crew members were employed.
“This new crew
does not have Australian visas, and is understood to be working in
appalling conditions with very low pay. The crew cannot come ashore
and is unable to leave the vessel for 12 months.”
“It is modern
day slavery and a clear case of a company engaging in gross
exploitation,” Mr Newlyn says.
“The Destiny
Queen’s aquaculture license expires this week and we’re calling on
the state Government to refuse to renew the license. We’ll also be
putting a strong case that licensing procedures should be
strengthened to stop a repeat of this sort of exploitation,” says Mr
Newlyn.
SA Unions
secretary Janet Giles accused the Federal Government of hypocrisy in
turning a blind eye to the exploitation of foreign workers.
“Australian
workers have been replaced with overseas workers working in terrible
conditions. Because these workers have no visas and cannot legally
enter Australia, they are effectively trapped on this factory ship
inside South Australian territorial waters. This company is
shamelessly exploiting loopholes in migration laws and Australian
employment laws,” Ms Giles says.
ACTU President
Sharan Burrow said, “This wouldn’t be able to happen on Australian
soil and it shouldn’t be able to happen on Australian seas.”
A
protest will be held outside the office of Destiny Abalone:
When Friday 8th July
Time 11.30am
Where 155 Port Road Hindmarsh
·
ACTU President Sharan Burrow (0418 479 455)
·
SA
Unions secretary Janet Giles (0419 825 845)
·
MUA
Secretary Jamie Newlyn (0419 517 487)
will address protesters and be available for interview